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Chlorella for everyone: Duplaco initiates mass production

Dutch algae pioneer Duplaco now starts large-scale production of the power algae Chlorella: With an innovative process in the middle of Europe - clean, reliable and efficient. Perfect as a dietary supplement or to enrich foods.

Oldenzaal/Netherlands, September 2021 - It is green, only a few micron in size and a real power package: the microalgae Chlorella. Thanks to its high percentage of protein (40 percent) it is considered a powerful resource in the effort to feed the world's ever-growing population. It is also much appreciated by the health-conscious with over 40 different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and all essential amino acids. However, until now, the algae mostly came from open cultivation ponds in Southeast Asia, which are characterized by impurities, supply problems and quality fluctuations. The long transport routes are anything but sustainable.

This will now change: Duplaco produces its Chlorella in Oldenzaal, the Netherlands, with a self-developed, unique process. The microalgae are "fed" with a carbon source and grown in a sterile fermenter. Thanks to the closed system, contamination by heavy metals, dioxins or PAHs can be avoided. The harvested Chlorella is spray dried and pressed into tablets upon request. The advantages: The cultivation is independent of sunlight, weather and climate conditions, therefore guaranteeing consistent quality. It is more cost effective because a high volume of Chlorella can be produced with a small footprint. Furthermore, the transportation costs are much lower.  

Tablets and powders for supplements - and green burgers

The innovative process was invented by Marcel Oogink, engineer and founder of Duplaco. "We have now expanded our production from 15 tons to 200 to 300 tons per year. We will even be able to produce 1500 tons per year in the future," says Oogink. "We are striving to become the largest algae producer in Europe".

Due to growing health awareness, dietary supplements are booming, Chlorella being one of the most popular substances. Duplaco's customer list already includes renowned manufacturers of supplements that explicitly promote their products referring to their cultivation within the EU.
But the power algae is also of interest to a lot of other industries: "As a functional ingredient, Chlorella optimises the nutritional content of, for example, plant-based meat, fish and dairy alternatives, pasta, smoothies or baked goods," says Marcel Oogink. The cult brand The Dutch Weed Burger from Amsterdam already uses Duplaco products for its buns. And what if people don’t like green buns? "In our own research and development centre, we lowered the green pigment by breeding techniques and adapted the nutritional profile of the algae to the individual customer requirements " Oogink said.

Many ingredients, many options

Chlorella offers lots of valuable ingredients with perfect synergy. And thanks to Duplaco's supply reliability, guaranteed quality and sustainable production, microalgae also open up very interesting possibilities, not only for supplements, but also for completely new plant-based foods.

About Duplaco

The Dutch company Duplaco (short for: Dutch Plankton Company) was founded in 2012 by engineer Marcel Oogink. His vision was to contribute to a healthy diet with the sustainable production of microalgae. To this end, Duplaco has developed a unique fermentation process and established a pilot plant in Hengelo. The company moved to Oldenzaal in 2020 and expanded its production capacity up to 300 tons of chlorella yearly. Among the customers are well-known manufacturers of food supplements and food companies in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain.

www.duplaco.com